Cottonmouth is a condition when your mouth is unpleasantly dry. Cottonmouth is medically known as xerostomia, which actually means dry mouth. The condition is extremely common. People of all ages may develop this condition but kids and young adults are likely to have a very temporary phase of dry mouth whereas elderly people may have a chronic cottonmouth. Women are more prone to dry mouth after a certain age but the condition is equally common in men and women.
Dry Mouth Condition
Dry mouth is a condition when the saliva in the mouth dries up. It is the saliva that keeps our mouth moist or wet. Without saliva, one would not only have a dry mouth, it would be unpleasant, have a different sensation and one would find it difficult to talk. With no saliva, one wouldn’t be able to taste food, eating and digestion would be difficult and the mouth would be prone to bacterial, viral and fungal infections as well.
Common Causes of Cottonmouth
Cottonmouth is caused by numerous factors. While the obvious cause is a reduced secretion or no secretion of saliva, that in turn is caused by other factors. Reduced saliva secretion would lead to temporary cottonmouth but no secretion of saliva would lead to long term or chronic cottonmouth. The latter is quite rare but does occur in some cases.
The mouth may have reduced saliva secretion when the body is too dehydrated. When moisture dries up in the human body, the saliva is not produced since the body needs fluids to secrete it and to make it available in the mouth. Cottonmouth, dry mouth or xerostomia, is caused very commonly due to the side effects of medications. This is one reason why elderly people are most likely to have cottonmouth. Several medicines or drugs can cause the saliva to dry up.
Among them, the serial offenders are medicines for blood sugar, antidepressants, antihistamines, diuretics and anti-inflammatories. Radiation treatments for a wide range of health conditions can also cause cottonmouth. There is a condition known as salivary gland disease which can also reduce or stop the secretion of saliva and thus lead to dry mouth or cottonmouth.
Health Conditions That Contribute to Dry Mouth
There are many other causes of cottonmouth such as diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, hormonal problems and systemic lupus erythematosus among others. Depression, anxiety and stress can also cause dry mouth or xerostomia. Cottonmouth can be easily treated but one should opt for a medical diagnosis before choosing a course of treatment.
